Clearwater Valley Guiding Principles Ignored
After a three-year process beginning in 1996, an agreement, “The Guiding Principles for
the Management of Land and Resources in the Upper Clearwater Valley” was reached
between the BC Ministry of Forests and residents of Upper Clearwater. The residents
agreed to three woodlots in exchange for restrictions on Crown land logging to small
discreet incursions for removal of insect- or beetle-killed trees. Yet, in 2015,
the government ignored this agreement and issued a permit to Canfor to undertake
massive logging on the western slopes of the Clearwater River Valley without consultation with
local residents.
Mountain Caribou Habitat and Population
Would be at Risk
Since 1995 the numbers of Southern Mountain Caribou in the Clearwater River Valley have shrunk from about 325 to only 135 animals. In 2014, the federal Species at Risk Act identified the
Clearwater Valley in the vicinity of southern Wells Gray Park as Critical Habitat for
Caribou. Logging on the slopes of Trophy Mountain would contribute to the already precipitous
decline of these uniquely Canadian animals by opening the forest cover to browsers like
moose and deer and predators such as wolves and cougars. Click here for a map of the federally protected Critical Habitat for Caribou in the Clearwater River Valley and scroll to the bottom of the page.
UNESCO Geopark Application will be Impacted
Wells Gray Provincial Park has been nominated for Canada’s tentative list for UNESCO
World Heritage Status, and the corridor into the Park is under consideration for
a UNESCO Geopark application. Such an area must have unique attributes (such as the area's volcanoes
and waterfalls) and would be set aside to promote sustainable tourism, economic
development, and education and research. Logging in the Clearwater Valley below the
Trophy Mountain section of Wells Gray Park and near Buck Hill, a volcanic feature,
would impact the Geopark application which is of great value for protecting the park’s
features and for enhancing tourism in the Clearwater Valley.
Threats to Slope Stability
Should logging occur on the slopes of Trophy Mountain, our Society is concerned about future washouts of culverts and bridges in this
watershed. This has happened before as a result of the 1980s massive clear-cut above
First Canyon Creek:
• 1997 – First Canyon washout requiring a new bridge costing $1.4 million
• 1999 – Spahats Creek culvert washout requiring a new bridge costing $1 million
• 2001 – Grouse Creek washout requiring bridge replacement
• 2015 – Second Canyon culvert repair
Threats to Household and Irrigation Water
There are 23 mapped creeks in the proposed logging area with 43 water licences. New logging could affect groundwater and surface water runoff. With the forest cover removed, there would be increased risk of rapid snowmelt and runoff, resulting in spring flooding and depleted or dry creeks and wells in the fall. In July 2020, massive runoff at Grouse Creek caused much damage to nearby residences, necessitating disaster relief funding from the BC government. The same event impacted Fage Creek and quick action was taken by Highways to save the Clearwater Valley Road from washout.
Impacts on Tourism Industry
Tourism is important to the local economy. $20 million are brought into Clearwater
annually by tourists. The long-term economic future of this valley is at risk if industrial
logging destroys Wells Gray Park assets. We need to protect the wilderness experience
for everyone, and carefully manage the corridor to Wells Gray Park.
